Obi-Wan Kenobi

Director: Deborah Chow
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Rupert Friend, Sung Kang, Moses Ingram, Vivien Lyra Blair, Kumail Nanjiani, Hayden Christensen, James Earl Jones, Indira Varma, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Benny Safdie, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Simone Kessell, Flea, Jimmy Smits, Zach Braff, Maya Erskine, Ian McDiarmid, Grant Feely
Original Airdate: 2022  

**The following review contains major 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' spoilers **

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

How much is too much? That's been the billion dollar question for Disney since their 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm. Since then, we've seen an entire Star Wars sequel trilogy, a standalone Han Solo film, a much admired big screen A New Hope prequel and an almost equally beloved streaming series thought to have "saved" the franchise. From a commercial standpoint it was all worth it, regardless of how often they hit the creative bull's eye or the amount of vitriol the actor and directors involved seem to receive. But when churning out this much content, we know the real risk comes in trying to fill every story gap in the SW universe with a series or film, leading to potential oversaturation and backlash. In other words, they need to pick their spots.

As one of the few who feel Disney's done better than they've gotten credit for, there's no ignoring the reasons why The Mandalorian worked and The Book of Boba Fett spinoff underperformed until Grogu, Mando and Luke came in for the save. A legendary bit player, Boba's popularity and mystique always revolved around what we thought he could be, but Pedro Pasquel's Mando already had the badass market cornered, leaving a surprisingly restrained Boba without much to do in his own series despite a strong Temuera Morrison performance. So now with viewers still questioning the sustainability of that series comes Obi-Wan Kenobi, which carries an even greater risk.  

Taking place ten years after Revenge of the Sith but a decade prior to A New Hope, Disney's playing with fire in the most literal sense. They've brought out the big guns in not just the title character (whom Ewan McGregor is reprising for the first time since 2005), but Anakin/Darth Vader, Luke and Leia at an unseen stage in their journeys. What's done here can affect perceptions of what happened before and what we know eventually comes. "Continuity" is a loaded word, and as no fan of the prequels, it's come as a bit of a surprise how much nostalgia and affection now suddenly exists for those who grew up on them. The best news is that the series revolves entirely around the long-term aftermath of Episode III, arguably that trilogy's finest hour. 

The show walks a tight rope in trying to get into Kenobi's headspace during this era while not disrupting or diminishing what's already been established, helping make this experiment fascinating to watch unfold. With occasionally scattershot storytelling, some of the six episodes are a mixed bag, but as the finale proves, it gets the big things right and feels like Star Wars, successfully revisiting the complicated bond between Obi-Wan and his former pupil while adding a few wrinkles to their feud.

With more focus, McGregor surpasses what he did in the prequels and channels some of what Alec Guinness brought to A New Hope, as we slowly inch closer to that period. And Disney continues its streak of nailing Vader, actually building on what made him such a terrifying, intimidating force in all his previous incarnations while exploring his fractured psyche. After a somewhat shaky start, it mostly comes together, ensuring that any potential rewatch of the interconnecting big screen sagas could play a lot differently now.

Ten years since Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) survived Order 66 and left a horribly burned and disfigured Anakin Skywalker for dead on Mustafar, he's living as "Ben" on Tatooine, having seemingly abandoned his Jedi ways. Still consumed with guilt over Anakin's turn to the dark side, he resides alone in a cave, working a meat packing job and watching over young Luke Skywalker (Grant Feely) from afar. But Darth Vader's shadow looms large, as vengeful Third Sister and Jedi-hunting Inquisitor, Reva (Moses Ingram) becomes obsessed with finding Kenobi and delivering him to master Vader. 

Reva's ruthless ambition draws the ire of the Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend) and Fifth Brother (Sung Kang), who find her rash methods intolerable, even as she sets the ultimate trap, kidnapping 10-year-old Leia Organa (Vivien Lyra Blair) in an effort to lure Kenobi. Unaware of her biological father's identity or his relationship to Obi-Wan, the feisty and brave young Princess of Alderaan must learn to trust this mysterious, bearded Jedi as he prepares for his inevitable confrontation with former Padawan turned Sith Lord, Vader. Haunted and emotionally paralyzed, it's a showdown a weakened Kenobi never expected to occur, and one he may not have the strength to endure.

There were a lot of assumptions made going into these handful of episodes directed by The Mandalorian's Deborah Chow. Would Obi-Wan take a backseat to Reva in his own story? Would his interactions with young Leia and Luke contradict or negatively impact their presumed introduction to him in A New Hope? Would Vader be depicted as the same brutal, intimidating killing machine from the original trilogy? How much, if any, Anakin is left within him? And maybe the most important question is how this all affects Kenobi's fateful encounter with Vader ten years later, which we thought was their only confrontation after Mustafar. 

Kenobi's defeated state of mind during this period makes sense, and while you run the risk of unwanted comparisons to Luke's much maligned exile in The Last Jedi, it is an entirely unrelated situation. It's impossible to believe Obi-Wan wouldn't still be heavily traumatized after leaving Anakin to die, or so he thought, with the big twist being that that he knew nothing of his ex-friend's survival until now. This, along with the revelation that A New Hope didn't mark his first encounter with Luke and Leia, opens up a new can of worms. Though it's not technically cheating from a narrative standpoint, accusations of this being revisionist history will probably persist. But unlike George Lucas' superficially pointless Special Edition changes, this isn't physically altering the actual films, but instead shifting the conversations around them.

The Inquisitors are kind of one-dimensional (especially Sung Kang's grunting and grouchy Fifth Brother), and while Reva 's the notable exception, it even takes her character a little while to get going. Since her rather obvious backstory is easily telegraphed by viewers right away, it becomes a matter of filling in the details and fleshing out why she's so obsessed with bringing Kenobi to Vader at any cost. Having to play everything in a single note until the very end puts Moses Ingram in a tough spot, but she's clearly our main gateway to the two former friends coming face-to-face again. Obviously, we're far more invested in Kenobi, Vader, Leia, and Luke, so it's easy to trust that Chow will eventually get us there.  

As young Leia, the series-stealing Vivien Lyra Blair is sassy and headstrong, while bringing just the right amount of sarcastic precociousness to make it entirely believable she'll emerge as the version Carrie Fisher later portrays. Since we know she'll contact Obi-Wan for help in A New Hope, the writers seem especially careful in developing this temporary bond between the two, borne out of necessity, but primed to be revisited years down the road. 

Kenobi's knowledge of Leia's bloodline and past with Anakin and Padme creates a compelling dynamic while her kidnapping(s) gives the child a closer, harsher look at the Empire that contradicts what she's been fed from adopted parents Senator Bail (Jimmy Smits) and Queen Breha (Simone Kessell). With trusty droid L0-LA in her pocket, little Leia's a handful, as she should be, but Lyra Blair's performance opposite McGregor is perfect in how it plants the seeds for how valuable her rebellious spirit will be. There are also some strong supporting performances from Indira Varma as an Imperial Officer helping Kenobi and Leia, Kumail Nanjiani as a Jedi-posing con artist and O' Shea Jackson Jr. as another Jedi aiding in their escape. But there's only one thing anyone will be talking about after the sixth episode: Kenobi and Vader.  

Voiced again (with some technological enhancement) by the legendary James Earl Jones and getting a physical assist from the returning Hayden Christensen under the armor, this Vader is very much in line with what who we saw in the original trilogy and Rogue One. While not quite at that level of confident brutality yet, this succeeds at showing he's well on his way. Choking villagers and breaking necks left and right on the hunt for Kenobi, it's fitting that Vader's reunion with his mentor should end in Obi-Wan being burned and nearly put in the same state he left Anakin on Mustafar. Obi-Wan's realization that his best friend is still alive as this monster, yet not, becomes nearly impossible for him to reconcile.

Kenobi's guilt makes him incapable of killing Vader no matter how much damage him surviving will cause. This is at the crux of the series, as the finale sees Kenobi recognizing that he doesn't "need" to end Vader, but rather abandon any delusions he had in returning him to the light side of the force. Only Luke can, because unlike Kenobi, he'll see his father and Vader as one, eventually proving Padme's dying declaration that there's "still good in him" to be true. But for all of this to happen and Vader to vanquish Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) in Return of the Jedi, Obi-Wan has to let him go. But not until after the epic lightsaber duel that the season's been building toward.

With Chow paying homage to a familiar scene Rebels scene, half of Vader's mask is cut open as his face straddles between lightness and dark, electronically slipping in and out of James Earl Jones and Hayden Christensen's voices. Considering the speculation surrounding just how much the latter would be used with Anakin now fully suited up, a prequel era flashback (minus de-aging effects), hallucinations and that final emotional reveal give us more Hayden than expected. And even his biggest detractors would have to admit his handling of Anakin's turn in Revenge of the Sith was the actor's strongest showing. He delivers again here, being utilized in a way that makes sense, likely satisfying a vast majority of fans that go beyond your usual prequel defenders.  

The question of when Anakin truly becomes Vader will always be mired in debate, with many contending it's when he first dons the suit at the end of Episode III. But this series adds a huge footnote, hinting perhaps that his full evolution into the Sith Lord happened in stages, with this season-closing battle with Kenobi marking a final important step. While Vader takes credit for killing Anakin, strangely absolving his former master and enabling him to let go of the guilt he's carried, it's far from a benevolent gesture. The admission officially confirms that Anakin's gone, with the armored suit now sustaining Vader as much psychologically as physically.  

The creation of this entire Vader persona reveals itself as the only way Anakin can live with guilt of what he did to Padme and the destruction he's caused. His confession that he wished Obi-Wan finished the job on Mustafar is sadly the truth on many levels. After getting demolished in this final duel, Vader crawls away defeated, but lives to fight another day stronger than before, having finally rid himself of this Kenobi obsession. He now has bigger plans on his mind than one mere Jedi, as Palpatine manipulatively reminds him. Having John Williams' iconic Imperial March blasting over the soundtrack in the last episode couldn't be more appropriate. Obi-Wan is no longer an Anakin problem since Anakin now ceases to exist. This is the rise of Darth Vader.

Reva turns out to be both more and less than we thought. As expected, she was secretly plotting against Vader for the Order 66 slaughter but at least the writers were smart enough to keep him more than a few steps ahead. The only thing we may have underestimated was the full range of her anger, not only toward him, but Kenobi, whom she holds almost equally responsible. Reva's sneak attack on Vader had as much chance of succeeding as her being able to move on from the past trauma, but she takes it to a whole new level in targeting young Luke. It's surprisingly satisfying seeing Uncle Owen (Joel Edgerton) and Aunt Beru (Bonnie Piesse) in action combat mode, adding another layer to characters who desperately needed to be remembered as more than the charred skeletons in A New Hope. 

With this comes confirmation of how much the Lars family cared for Luke, while also providing some background on Owen's overprotectiveness. His irritation toward Kenobi for wanting to be a part of Luke's life starts to thaw, indicating that the seasoned Jedi Master is closer to the fully actualized Obi-Wan who later trains Luke, as McGregor's performance expertly conveys it. But for now, we'll settle for a brief tease (along with a "Hello There"), as the wide-eyed youngster greets him with the same look of reverence and astonishment Leia does in their emotional goodbye on Alderaan. 

Finally at peace able to see and communicate with the Force Ghost of Qui-Gon (Liam Neeson), you have to wonder what could possibly be left for a second season, assuming Disney's interested in going there. Attempting to extract even more from Kenobi and Vader probably isn't advisable, but that never stopped them before. And then there's the curious creative decision to leave a now fully redeemed and very injured Reva alive as a dangling story thread, which seems perplexing given how much she knows. 

While still a notch or two below the Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi keeps with the constantly shifting tone and aesthetic of Star Wars, revealing just enough to keep us intrigued with the past and future of the saga without stepping on too many toes. As an intersecting point between the prequel and original trilogies, it hits the sweet spot, with its best portions recalling a lot of what was done right in Rogue One. If winning over every warring, polarized faction of Star Wars fandom was always an impossibility, this at least does an admirable job in crafting a new adventure worth taking.                

Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

Director: Christopher Landon
Starring: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Phi Vu, Suraj Sharma, Sarah Yarkin, Rachel Matthews, Ruby Modine, Steve Zissis, Charles Aitken, Laura Clifton, Missy Yager, Jason Bayle, Rob Mello
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Released in 2017, Christopher Landon's Happy Death Day was enthusiastically received by both critics and audiences for re-energizing Groundhog Day's familiar premise as a modern black comedy slasher. After catching up with it far later than expected, what jumped out most was that you could literally sit anyone in front of it with complete confidence they'd enjoy themselves. Being universally recommendable isn't a small compliment, as this proved the rare instance where that dreaded 'PG-13' rating actually served the material, foregoing a reliance on kills and gore to instead exploit the premise's sharp humor for all it's worth.

Now, after waiting even longer to finally see its sequel, 2019's Happy Death Day 2U, confirmation arrives that it's just as crazy as everyone says. While it may lack its predecessor's sense of discovery and a flawed protagonist's exciting transformation, Landon does something really interesting here that you don't frequently see from most sequels, horror or otherwise. He dares to make a totally different movie, expanding his pre-existing universe while making viewers call upon all their knowledge of the previous film. You can't just sit anyone in front of this one if they haven't seen the first, and that's what makes it so strangely appealing.

Abandoning many of its horror elements to go full sci-fi and draw from 80's teen comedies like Weird Science and Real Genius, the sequel's essentially a love letter to Back to the Future Part II, complete with alternate timelines and parallel universes. The script even acknowledges it outright, while making no apologies for wanting to do more than repeat the original. But more impressively, it accomplishes this by still doing exactly that.  

Waking up in his car on Tuesday, September 19, Bayfield University student Ryan (Phi Vu) returns to his dorm room to find roommate Carter (Israel Broussard) with girlfriend Tree (Jessica Rothe). After going back to work on his experimental quantum reactor with friends Samar (Suraj Sharma) and Dre (Sarah Yarkin), Ryan's killed by someone in a Babyface mask before waking up again on the same day. Upon hearing Ryan's story, Tree realizes he's now stuck in a time loop eerily similar to the one she experienced on Monday the 18th. The group's effort to close the loop instead results in a lab disaster with the machine, sending Tree back to relive that original day, but in an alternate timeline. 

With people she knows now suddenly occupying different roles and functions in this new reality, Tree must deal with the fallout and find help to get back, assuming that's what she wants. Complicating matters is that the Babyface killer is on the loose, with their identity and motives suddenly again a mystery in this alternate dimension. Faced with a nearly impossible choice, Tree's desire to escape this loop isn't so cut and dry, as this reality offers her a second chance at something she never thought she'd experience again. 

In attempting to give a complete explanation for what happened in the preceding entry, it tries more than most sequels, leaning so far into the sci-fi component that you question whether it's actually more information than necessary. While everything involving the reactor machine is silly and probably makes even less sense than most time travel plots, that's kind of the point, transforming what was previously a dark slasher comedy into an ambitious, entertaining farce that enables Landon to use every creative tool at his disposal to construct a viable follow-up. 

The idea of an alternate timeline seems very much inspired by BTTF Part II, and at first glance seems to be an odd fit with the Groundhog Day meets Scream approach of the original. But it all works to the film's advantage, as Landon's script finds fresh ways to repurpose nearly all the supporting players in new roles that depart heavily from how they were previously portrayed. The result is a story that's able to return to the settings, places and people of Tree's seemingly endless Monday the 18th, but with the added twist of everything being just a little off and her having to navigate through it again. 

Familiar enough, but containing just enough surprises, the script manages to substantially build on everything that happened before, giving supporting players like Tree's sorority sisters Danielle (Rachel Matthews) and Lori (Ruby Modine), Dr. Butler (Charles Aitken) and escaped serial killer Tombs (Rob Mello) a fresh coat of paint. It also again puts the masked Babyface killer's identity in doubt, even if that sometimes takes a backseat to some of the comedic shenanigans involving Ryan's science buddies and the school's hapless Dean (a scene-stealing Steve Zissis). There's a goofy sequence where he's distracted by a "foreign exchange student" that has no right being as funny as it is and yet it completely works. It's also tough to recall a sequel that has this much of its original cast return, right down to even the smallest of cameos, making the plot's machinations sturdier.  

Falsely teasing roommate Ryan as the main character was a good idea since it not only reels us in, but creates worry as to whether Tree will be sidelined, only to change course and enable viewers to make the discovery along with her again. If Tree's relationship with kind, nerdy Carter proved to be the glue that held the first film together, it's now as if that never happened, at least for this version of him, who has a life that definitely doesn't include her. This means she'll have some work to do, all while facing a reality in which her late mom (Missy Yager) is still alive, after that tragic loss already shaped what she's become. 

After transcending the confines of the genre to portray a completely different type of scream queen in the first film, Jessica Rothe's versatile performance as reformed sorority mean girl Tree Gelbman is somehow even better this time around. In one particularly dramatic scene, she believably registers a whole spectrum of emotions you just can't imagine getting from another actress in any similar role. She does this and alternately displays unmatched comedic chops in a memorably hilarious suicide montage wherein Tree continuously and creatively offs herself to get to the next day. How Rothe isn't in demand for every project out there boggles the mind, as we're once again given front row seats to what should be the breakout of a major new screen star. On one hand, you want to see her continue along this route because she's so good at it, but it's impossible not to wonder how much untapped potential still exists should she decide to tackle entirely different roles. 

The screenplay sets up a choice at the end that's handled really well, while also having something smart to say about the comfort of looking back versus embracing what lies ahead. Despite a post-credit scene setting up another sequel, this one's somewhat lackluster box office haul temporarily put those plans to bed. Luckily, Landon's subsequent success with 2020's body swap horror comedy Freaky did resuscitate that conversation, along with rumors about some kind of crossover between the two. Given how each  subverted their genres so similarly, it would probably work as a single outing. Whatever disappointment horror fans feel about Happy Death Day 2U rarely qualifying as a full-blown slasher are offset by everything else it does to differentiate itself as a sequel. So while it may be easier to prefer the ride we're taken on in the original, it's tough to blame anyone who far prefers the risks this takes instead.

Emergency

Director: Carey Williams
Starring: RJ Cyler, Donald Elise Watkins, Sebastian Chacon, Sabrina Carpenter, Maddie Nichols, Madison Thompson, Diego Abraham
Running Time: 105 min.
Rating: R 

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Carey Williams' Sundance award-winning Emergency is a clever little film masquerading as a formula campus comedy before turning around to deliver something of slightly deeper significance. It's actually gotten a fair amount of critical praise, and while some of that's overblown, a lot isn't, especially considering how it dropped on Prime with little hype. So anyone on the fence about giving it a look should be pleasantly surprised by how much their expectations are exceeded. As one of those fun, debaucherous college comedies that revolve around a group of guys stumbling into a heap of trouble, it's solidly entertaining, before taking a darker, more volatile turn, ensuring it will inspire a decent level of discussion and debate. 

There were probably more than a dozen directions this story could have gone, but KD Dávila's script takes a road less traveled in the genre, and that's clear from the opening scene during which an extremely awkward classroom topic sets the table for what's to come. It manages to elicit big laughs, even as we might want to bury our heads in discomfort. Of course, that's exactly the point, as the movie immediately puts us on notice that we have no excuse to squirm since the main characters have far more reason to for the remainder of the film's length. One of whom makes all the right choices before being confronted with the scary realization that only one thing really mattered, and regardless of how much he tries to follow the rules and act nobly, there's just no escaping it. 

Long time best friends and college seniors Sean (RJ Cyler) and Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) have set a goal to become the first black men to complete their campus' "Legendary Tour" of frat parties in a single night. But plans are complicated when they arrive at friend Carlos' (Sebastian Chacon) house and discover an unconscious white woman named Emma (Maddie Nichols) lying on his living room floor. Stoned out of his mind and plugged into his video games, Carlos seemingly has no idea who she is or how she got there. Kunle immediately wants to call the police, but Sean refuses, knowing the suspicions that will be raised because of the color of their skin. 

As the guys debate between anonymously dropping Emma at a frat party or leaving her in front of the hospital, the girl's frantic older sister Maddy (Sabrina Carpenter), along with friend Alice (Madison Thompson) and toga-clad Rafael (Diego Abraham) are tracking her via phone. With Sean, Kunle and Carlos driving Emma around in their van trying to keep her awake and formulate a plan, the situation soon becomes worse than they could have anticipated. While good and bad decisions are made by both sides, the result is a communication breakdown that quickly careens toward potential tragedy and a night no one involved will ever forget.

Adapted from Williams and Dávila's 2018 short film of the same name, the two lead protagonists at first seem to have such wildly divergent personalities that it's almost puzzling they're close friends.  Sean's presented as a waste of potential, more interested in vaping, drinking and completing this frat party marathon than his future. The much more reserved, quieter Kunle has a good head on his shoulders as a budding scientist is preparing to go to Princeton while Sean frequently makes cracks about him not being "black enough." But when the unconscious Emma is discovered on Carlos' floor, none of this matters much, as this catastrophe becomes the great equalizer, with all of them knowing just how badly the cops could react to three minorities with a passed out white girl. 

Sean is easily the most terrified of that scenario, as his adamant refusal to involve law enforcement causes the situation to spiral, quickly closing their window to do what should technically be the right thing. But given all that goes down, it's suddenly harder to question Sean's philosophy or deny that his dire predictions aren't playing out in the worst possible ways.

Cyler plays Sean as this unpredictable live wire that balances out Watkins' shy, uptight Kunle, making for an effective contrast that only enhances the tension when both are pulled so far out of their comfort zones that panic takes over. Even with the most to lose, Kunle's actions are admirable enough to border on heroic, but the script challenges our expectations by having his morality amount to nothing in this context. It's a hard slap in the face in the middle of some undeniably funny comedic hijinx, most of which is provided by the high and flustered Carlos, who's played with Andy Samberg-like flare by Sebastian Chacon, alternating between total cluelessness and genuine heart-on-his sleeve concern for this girl. 

As Maddy and friends closes in on her sister's whereabouts, Sabrina Carpenter has to do some heavy dramatic lifting in the film's most kinetic sequence and delivers, while still giving her character some shading that suggests she isn't without blame or personality faults. You could argue the third act might have one more ending than necessary, but it lands on the right one that stings, implying that what happened won't easily be shaken off and has left some serious psychological scarring, particularly for one character. Coming full circle, it subtly calls back to the opening classroom sequence about how little is still understood about both the power and emptiness of words. You can say all the right things and have the best intentions, but without the sincerity to back them up with action, it won't mean much. 

As an entry into what's become the increasingly rare "night of chaos" subgenre, this is one of the better ones, and the social commentary doesn't seem force fed so much as springing from the situation at hand. Even the usual dissenters who'd want nothing to do with this would have to admit the themes are skillfully woven into the plot's fabric and generate earned pathos. That Emergency is able to provide this many consistent laughs and successfully flip on a dime into more serious territory speaks to Williams' patience. He takes his time, sprinkling small moments throughout that separate these characters from the cardboard cutouts found in most college-set comedies. It's as if Judgment Night met Very Bad Things, only smarter and funnier, capped off with a finish that gives us good reason to anticipate whatever Williams does next.                  

Stranger Things: Season 4 (Volume One)

Creators: The Duffer Brothers
Starring: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Brett Gelman, Priah Ferguson, Matthew Modine, Paul Reiser, Jamie Campbell Bower, Joseph Quinn, Eduardo Franco, Thomas Wlaschiha, Nikola Ðuričko, Gabriella Pizollo, Mason Dye
Original Airdate: 2022

**The following review contains major 'Stranger Things' spoilers **

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

If it seems like years ago since Stranger Things' last season, that's because it was. Three to be exact. While that's a long time for any series to just pick up where it left off without some kind of decline, this would be affected more than most. Given how rapidly its young cast have matured since the show premiered, it's become a popular joke that when these episodes finally dropped the kids would be entering retirement. A break this long definitely doesn't help the series and Netflix's decision to sit on it after completion only compounds the problem. Making matters worse, the streamer somehow managed to shift complaints about the delay to their unusual delivery method, with this half season of episodes spanning as long as an hour and a half before the remaining two episodes (one of which will be 2 hours and 31 minutes) premiere in July. 

Despite all of that practically priming this season to result in an overstuffed mess, it somehow, someway remains Stranger Things, every bit as thrillingly addictive as it's ever been. It takes only about an episode to get reacclimated, but once you do, the Duffer Brothers step on the gas and don't let up. The extended episodes don't "feel" too long and the pacing rarely lags, so while it may be an inconvenience budgeting them out time-wise, that minor obstacle shouldn't impede too much on anyone's binging habits. And as rumored, the season is considerably darker, but deeper, going to places both familiar and sometimes entirely unexpected. 

So heavily influenced by A Nightmare on Elm Street series it may as well double as a modern-day reboot, criticism that younger viewers should just watch the originals instead is noted, but it's an homage done well, and if it prompts the uninitiated to seek those movies out, that's a win-win. It also features some of the series' best performances, most specifically from Millie Bobby Brown and Sadie Sink, both of whom are given some emotionally heavier material to work with this time around. 

A consistently gripping storyline involving her past returns Eleven to first season highs as a protagonist, making us appreciate just how much Brown brings to the table after maybe taking the talented young actress for granted at times. There's also another outstanding performance so pivotal to the plot it can't even be safely discussed without entering spoiler territory. The whole thing just feels larger in scope, but in a good way, setting the stage for the remainder of this season and beyond.

It's 1986 and nine months after the battle inside Starcourt Mall, as Joyce (Winona Ryder), Will (Noah Schnapp) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton)have moved to California with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who's being bullied at a new school while trying to accept the loss of her powers. This despite writing letters to boyfriend Mike (Finn Wolfhard) back home that imply everything's fine.

Meanwhile, Mike and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) are immersing themselves in Hawkins High's "Hellfire Club," a Dungeons and Dragons role playing club led by likable manic metal head named Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn). Key member Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) is now preoccupied with his emerging popularity as the school's star basketball player, separating himself from the rest of the group, including Max (Sadie Sink), who's still mourning her brother Billy's (Dacre Montgomery) death at the hands of the Mind Flayer. 

Soon, the gang must put their heads together when cheerleader Chrissy Cunningham (Grace Van Dien) is haunted by supernatural visions and gruesomely murdered under mysterious circumstances, with the the blame being placed on a fleeing Eddie. But as the group sees signs it could be the work of a creature from the Upside Down, they again join forces with Steve (Joe Keery), Robin (Maya Hawke) and Nancy (Natalia Dyer), to investigate. Meanwhile, Joyce receives a package in California that points toward Hopper (David Harbour) having survived the mall explosion and being held captive in a Russian prison camp. 

As Joyce and Murray (Brett Gelman) plan to retrieve Hopper, Eleven must rely on Owens (Paul Reiser) for protection from an onslaught of U.S. Army agents blaming her for the latest deaths. But now given the opportunity to possibly restore her powers, she'll have to face a painful past, and an unwelcome familiar face, as the monster known as Vecna continues collecting victims in Hawkins.

The distinction between this and previous seasons isn't the episode length or pacing so much as how many stories are simultaneously unfolding over separate locations with various factions of characters. The time jump may only be under a year in show chronology but everyone's in a different place than when we last left them, at least geographically. And where they're all at emotionally is commensurate with how you'd expect these teens to be evolving and maturing as high school students, reflecting our initial amazement at how much older they physically look compared to three years ago. 

Mike, Dustin and Lucas couldn't remain outcast nerds forever so it's fitting they find a pocket of social acceptance without sacrificing any of the quirks or qualities that initially defined their characters. The Hellfire Club is the ideal way to go about this, introducing a compelling new character in Eddie, who brings a new and welcome crazy element that represents a the type of fun 80's archetype that rarely gets old, especially when played this entertainingly by British actor Joseph Quinn. 

From the first season, Dungeons & Dragons has functioned as sort of background wallpaper to the series, with the classic RPG serving as a vehicle for establishing the kids' personalities and status as outsiders. Here it takes center stage, as the Hawkins community is in full satanic panic, looking to pin the recent killings on the harmless misfits who play it, mirroring manufactured hysteria of that time. But even as Mike and Dustin find a friend in Eddie and an outlet for their nerdiness, Lucas starts aligning with the school's jocks as the lure of possible popularity proves too much. He has a choice to make, and how he struggles with it is one of the more effective sub-plots in a half-season stacked with plenty. 

As Lucas' loyalty to the group faces it biggest challenge, Max is psychologically deteriorating before everyone's eyes, remaining sullen, withdrawn and angry following the loss of Billy, making her the perfect mark for Vecna. When hallucinatory visions of doomsday clocks, bloody noses and headaches start to materialize, Max realizes what she's experiencing is far more than teen angst or even a mental breakdown, despite her symptoms functioning as a frightening manifestation of both. She's the next intended victim on Vecna's kill list and only her friends can save her.

The race to rescue Max from the clutches of Vecna in "Chapter Four: Dear Billy" is surprisingly moving and full of enough action and backstory to serve as a de facto finale only a few episodes in. But by this point we're barely halfway there and a series that's been known for its masterful selection of music adds Kate Bush's"Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" to its playlist, as the 1985 song's themes and lyrics not only prove central to Max's story, but vitally organic to the actual plot. 

Bush purists will scoff at so many discovering her music for the first time through this, but it's unlikely the long underrated English artist minds a hefty paycheck along with the added bonus of introducing a new generation of fans to her work. And considering Sadie Sink has probably experienced the biggest career boost since last season, the Duffers were wise to showcase Max in a big way, letting the actress carry many of the early episodes after being somewhat sidelined last season. And Sink really delivers, standing out amongst a more crowded cast than usual. 

If there was any doubt just how far the Elm Street influence extends, the presence of Freddy Krueger himself, Robert Englund, only solidifies this. His performance as Victor Creel, a survivor whose family may have been killed by the same supernatural force terrorizing Hawkins decades later, is brief but memorable. His accompanying flashback is part of what provides the literal and figurative gateway to the answers the group's searching for. Nancy, Robin and Steve are in full investigative mode, and if there's any problem with the season it's that it ends up being so dark that the comedic hijinks don't land quite as seamlessly as we're accustomed.

While the revelations and 50's flashback that come from Nancy and Robin's meeting with Creel is creepy and enthralling, their means of the interview is a bit silly in execution. Of course, the same accusation could be thrown at Jonathan's character, who spends the seven episodes pretty much stoned out of his mind with equally dazed pizza delivery buddy Argyle (Eduardo Franco). 

With Nancy and Jonathan in separate states, there's an attempt to gain some mileage from their fractured long distance relationship being on the ropes, but Steve's become such a popular, dependable character that even the writers have given up presenting Jonathan as a viable option for her. The most successful comedic relief comes from Lucas' spunky sister Erica (Priah Ferguson), an impromptu road trip to hacker Suzie's (Gabriella Pizollo) chaotic house and Joyce and Murray's multi-episode spanning journey to retrieve Hopper, which is ripe with all sorts of complications. 

In some ways it's a compliment that humor takes a backseat to what's a far more insidious central story than we're used to, as the very first image we see is the bloody aftermath to a massacre of children at Hawkins Lab that earns one of the more justified Netflix content warnings. There's so much narrative business to deal with that the only episodes that seem long are the ones trying to squeeze some of the lighter stuff in. But "light" is the last word you'd use to describe Eleven's situation, which is the season's most involving plot by a landslide. Mainly because it's everyone's, regardless of whether the other characters know it yet. Living in California with the Byers as Jane Hopper, the loss of her powers combined with cruel, constant bullying exposes a vulnerability in our protagonist we haven't seen since the initial season. 

The Duffers wisely exploit viewers' misplaced confidence that El's grown enough over the past few years that she'd have minimal problems readjusting to life in a new school and interacting with peers. It's not as if she hasn't evolved by leaps and bounds in Hawkins, but through Brown's performance and the writing, we're harshly reminded Eleven will never be "normal." It's not possible because she isn't, and the sudden loss of her powers (as well as her separation from Mike) has led to a sense of hopelessness just as she's needed most. Paul Reiser's returning Sam Owens has a plan to restore her psychokinetic gifts, but only if she's willing to go to some painfully traumatizing places that have been long buried.

Utilizing a specialized isolation tank called "NINA" El can access memories of her time with the other children at Hawkins Laboratory. Unfortunately for her, the mastermind of this experiment is the surprisingly still alive Dr. Martin Brenner (Matthew Modine) aka "Papa." And she'll need to accept, and maybe even embrace or harness, his cruel manipulation for this project to work. Going down the rabbit hole that is Hawkins Lab circa 1979, it's revealed that ostracization and bullying isn't exactly something unfamiliar to her. 

Continuing to believe she's responsible for the deaths of those children and fellow test subjects, El's unnerving trip down memory lane exposes these students as jealous and spiteful, threatened by her abilities while fiercely competing for Brenner's attention and praise. There's a lot of interesting stuff going on here, with Modine afforded the opportunity to add extra layers and dimensions to Brenner that arguably surpasses what he did in the first season, causing us to view the character in a new, more complicated light. 

Whether Brenner can even be partially trusted is another matter altogether, as are his motivations for using these kids as guinea pigs for his immoral experiments. But there's still a threat far worse he can no longer contain and control. These disturbingly hypnotizing flashbacks reveal much about El's history under his care while some impressive de-aging technology is used to depict her younger years. Stepping into her own memories to get answers and possibly reclaim her powers within this dizzying dreamscape, El's helped by an orderly named Peter Ballard (Jamie Campbell Bower), who may provide the clarification she's looking for. 

Volume One's finale ("Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab") might be the series' finest hour, or hour and a half to be precise. Given how much was jammed into this first volume, there were legitimate doubt surrounding whether the Duffers could pull this all off and have it make sense. But you have to appreciate any twist where the answer was right in front of our faces the entire time, though just out of reach, superficially insignificant enough to go overlooked. 

Bowers' performance as Peter is calm and creepy throughout but intentionally not substantial enough to send up red flags until the final two episodes. And when it does, we're still unsure of his exact intentions and too preoccupied with his relationship to El to consider how he fits into a far larger picture. That's why when Ballard not only reveals himself as "001," but Henry, the disturbed son of Victor Creel, responsible for his family's death and the lab massacre years later, it works. The bread crumbs were all there, even as the pieces didn't completely fit together until the end. El being a pawn in his game to break free from Brenner's control leads to the season's ultimate showdown, as El sends him spiraling into what we now know as the Upside Down, where he becomes Vecna. Origin story complete, with more details sure to follow, as it's possible the writers could have planted other clues far earlier. 

It's a lot to take in, but holds together, tying up some loose ends and explaining some of the more questionable developments in these seven episodes. With El having now faced her past trauma in the  and realizing she's more superhero than monster, it's reasonable to expect her powers will be restored at full force when Mike and company head to Nevada to retrieve her. And they really conjure up some first season vibes when Dustin, Lucas and Erica communicate via Liter-Brite with Steve and company in the Upside Down. 

With Hopper evading the Demogorgon and reuniting with Joyce in Russia, you have to figure he'll be also be reconnecting with El sooner than later. Ironically enough, the bigger mysteries might revolve around Nancy and Steve, considering the former is in Vecna's clutches while the latter's still pretty seriously injured, his fate in doubt. But all roads seem to be leading to a final battle where Vecna gets his rematch with the rehabilitated Eleven.

As far as shockers go, this season features its most noteworthy yet, with multiple story arcs converging in one revelatory moment, whetting our appetites for where the remainder of the show could be going. That our trust in the Duffers' storytelling has been rewarded to such an extent is a big deal considering long game twists aren't something the series has been known to dabble in until now. In the face of seemingly insurmountable expectations, Stranger Things came to play, alleviating all concerns that a long layoff and extended episodes would prevent the series from again matching the lofty standards it's already set.